This book is structured the following:
The most common Flamenco dance/rhythmic styles/palos broken up by 4/4 time, ¾ time, and what I will call “12 count” (Guajira, Solea, Alegrias, Solea Por Bulerias, Bulerias, Siguiriyas)
-Each dance/rhythmic style/palos is then broken up in the following order:
-Most common palmas patterns.
-Most common cajon patterns.
-Most common chord progressions: use a notation style similar to jazz lead sheets.
However instead of using slashes I use quarter notes so that it with numbers for the 12 count over them so that it is a little easier to count visually and to connect the 12 count system often used in flamenco more clearly with western notation European notation conventions.
-For the 12 count forms I: Use ¾ and 6/4 time signatures. Treat it as a 3 bar phrase (compas) of ¾, 6/4, and ¾. Treat 3, 6, and 12 as the downbeats for the 3 measures. Treat 3 as the start of the phrase. For Palos that start on 12 or 1 I indicate that but treat it as a pickup into the downbeat and start of the phrase on 3.
-Notes I have on the dance form.
Think of this document as a cheat sheet for
-Someone new to flamenco who can infer and teach themselves.
-Someone who has experience with flamenco and wants a cheat sheet for the common rhythms, palmas, cajon, and chords for each palos.
-A non-flamenco artist who already is a competent musician and wants to learn about flamenco and it’s rhythms.
Why did I choose to organize this book the way I did:
Jazz education programs have started to require drum proficiency. The reason for this, in my own words, is that on all instruments one must be able to hear and control articulation, create rhythmic patterns using articulation, and then maintain those patterns in time. Drums only focuses on articulation, rhythm, and time keeping.
All instruments are articulation/rhythm/time keeping instruments and this book addresses that by requiring you to develop an ear for those skills and internalize them and then put the chords and melodies of your instrument on to that foundation (hence why chords come after palmas and cajon).
Disclaimer: I believe firmly that much of this content is accurate, will help others, and should be shared. I am not however a flamecno expert and while I tried to write this material in a way most people could follow they are my notes; between the rough draft nature and my still novice flamenco knowledge you will find mistakes. There are also compelling arguments to be made for alternate ways of laying out the 12 count forms in notation other than what I chose.
Download by from my public google drive folder at the link by clicking “HERE” below. You will need to download the zip drive, unzip the folder, and then there will be a word document version of the text in this post and a bunch of JPEGs of my hand written book.
CLICK HERE